Container



June 14, 1960 G. L. BEALL CONTAINER Filed 0012. 6. 1958 Inventor Ci lena. LBeall" 2% D8/M H-orna/ United States Patent 2,940,444 CONTAINER Glenn L. Beall, Wildwood, Ill., assgnor to Abbott Lahoratories, North Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinoisv Filed Oct. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 765,565 Claims. (Cl. 12S-214) The invention relates generally to an improved conrainer and more particularly to an improved flexible iiuid container having sealed tubular passageways communicating with the interior thereof and integrally formed therewith.

The present invention relates particularly to equipment for receiving, storing, and dispensing fluids of the general type, including whole blood, blood plasma, glucose solution and like fluids which are commonly administered parenterally. In equipment of the foregoing type in which whole blood is stored, for example, it is irnportant that the stored blood be as readily accessible from the container as possible. In many instances wherein flexible containers are used to store blood, difficulties are encountered in withdrawing the blood from the container. It is standard procedure in withdrawing blood from a liexible container to provide some means for entry of a cannula or the like into the storage container and conveying the blood through a length of tubing Vto the patient. It is also standard procedure to provide the storage container with more than one passage means so that any desired uid such as glucose solution and the like can be mixed with the Whole blood simultaneously at the time of administration or to allow for the administration of a portion of the contents thereof through one of said passage means while preserving the remainder of said contents for subsequent administration through one of the other said passage means.

It is of prime importance that the entry means or passage be kept sterile at the site of'puncture by the inserted cannula. lt is mso important that at the time the cannula is inserted into the container that it not puncf ture the walls of the container. Still another requirement is that the entry passage be provided with walls or the like which firmly engage the piercing cannula in order to provide a tight seal and prevent leakage. Of even greater importance is the problem of providing a exible container with the means of entry or passage means having the predescribed characteristics and tot. do so at low cost. Y V

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fluid container at low cost with a one-piece passage means communicating with the interior of the container which will `facilitate safely administering the contents of the container.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide a iluid container with one-piece passage means communicating with the interior of the container which will provide a sterile site of puncture for an inserted cannula.

lt is still a further object of the present invention to provide a duid container with inlet and outlet passageways of simple construction which will prevent leakage of the contents thereof.

The foregoing objects and other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated by reference to tne following detailed description when considered in con junction with the accompanying drawing shown in the embodiment of the invention wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation fragmentary view of the flexible container of the present invention partially in vertically sectional view.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the passage means of Figure l partially in vertical section in its first stage of manufacture.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the passage means- .i "ice astanti Patented .inne 14, i960 2 of Figure 1 partially iii-vertical section in its second stage of manufacture. J Y Y Figure 4 is a perspective vieu/,of the passage means of Figure l partially in vertical section in its third stage of manufacture readyV Afor integrally joining with the flexible container walls.

Fivure 5 is a horizontal sectional view along line 5 5 olf-Figure l.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view along the line 6 6 of Figure l.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the foregoing ligures, the container body section 10 is comprised of two sheets 1i, 12 of llexible, chemically inert and physically non-porous plastic material such as plasticized polyvinyl chloride, which are sealed together by applying heat and gentle pressure to form cross-weld sections at the lateral edgesA 13, 13 as well as at the upper or top edge 14 and at the bottom edge 15 in which is cut supporting means lo. Disposed along the upper edge of body section lil and sealed therein is an intake tube i7 which has its innermost end integral with the wall of the said body section lll and has attachedvto the outer end thereof by means of needleV hub 18, a collection needle 19, which after being sterilized is enclosed in a a protective casing 20. Located within the end of intake tube-17, at a point where tube 17 is sealed to the body section 1d is a valve ball 2i. Disposed also along the upper edge 14 of section 10 and on opposite sides of tube 17 are passage means 22 and 23 communicating with he interior of the container body which are sealed therein and extend outwardly and inwardly from the top edge i4 of the body section lil.

The passage means 22 and 23 are comprised preferably of a length of tubing 24 (as best shown in Figure 2) which is of similar material as the body section 1 0 having piercable diaphragms 2S and 25 respectively', positioned intermediate theV ends thereof.V The lower endspof passage means -22 and 23 aresplitdiametrically to provide a pair of oppositely disposed protective flaps 26 and 26 respectively. The upper ends of the passageways 22 and 23 are also split ina similar manner to provide a pair of oppositely disposed pull tabs 27 and'27 respectively. Positioned near the upper edges of the pull tabs 27 and 27 are pairsof hanging slots 28 and 28"'respectively. `Spaced inwardly from the upperend of each of the passage means 22, 23 andabove the` diaphragms 25, 25' respectively is an inverted U-shaped airf and water impervious seal 29, 29 respectivelyextending completely across and sealing the passage means 22, 23 respectively, and extending above the lower ends of the said pull tabs 2"',V 27".V Located irnmediately'pinwardly from U-shaped seals 29, 29 and along the opposite lateral edges of passage means 22 and '23 are crimps -30 and 31 which arerformed by sealing together in a transverse manner, the edges of the tubin'gof the respective passage means. Y

The passage means of this invention are essentially of a one-piece construction and are conveniently made'in three stages of operation as illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing. As shown in Figure 2, a length of tubing 24 of the same material as body section 10 is diametrically l split inwardly a short distance from both the upper and lower ends to provide a pair of opposit'ely disposed pull tabs 27 at the upper end and a'pair of oppositely disposed protective flaps 26 at the lower end thereof. During this first stage of operation, two oppositely disposed holes are placed in the tabs 27 to provide a pair of hanging slots 28. In the next stage of manufacture as shownin Figure 3, a diaphragm 25 of penetrable thickness is formed interi mediate the ends of tubing 24 by the melting under slight pressure, a pellet composed of the same material as body section 10 atapoint within the tubing 24 intermediate the ends thereof so that it is attened and integrally joined matter- Withthe walls of tubing 24. VIn the nal stage as shown in Figure 4 the tubing is heated and semiflattenedl under n Y Vpressure to providean inverted U-shaped seal 29 spaced inwardly from the lklppcrl edge Vof tubing 24. Immediately Y inwardly'froi the lower'edffseal 29 arecrimps' which are yformed by sealing the lateral edges of thetubing 'in'altr'ansversemannery t i When the two passage'means 22 and 23 are in the form described inFigur'e 4, they are placed between`V the upper edges ofthe flexible plastic sheets-V 11, 12 insuch a position that diaphragm'V 25 is opposite the uppermost edges of sheets 11, 12. YWith the said passage means in the described position and the intake tube 17 also being placed between the upper edges of sheets 11, 12 in such a position that its innermost end is lin communication with the in'Figure 5 wherein 11 and 12 are the front and back walls of body section and.24 is the tubing from which the passage means are constructed.

To collect blood from Va donor, container body section Y 10,'is-V hung in anupright'position by means of hanging' slots V28;,and 28'.v The.collection needle 19 is removed outwardly from said diaphragm, and said tubing also having aV protective seal disposedacross said tubing intermediate said diaphragmandjpheouter end of said tubing, with the said protectiyewsealwe'zgtpnding above the lower end of said tab. Y

rr`25. ooritainen of iclainfl wheein 'thebodf section and passage meansare Vformed 'non-toxic' offa plastici'zed polyvinyl chloride composition..-

. Y -Q 3. A containerY for receiving,-"storing and dispensing iluids comprising in combination; a ilexible walled body section of chemically inert and physically non-porous plastic, said body section having integrallyv aiixed therein and communicating with the interior thereof a plastic inlet tube and at least one additional passage means extending inwardly and outwardly of the said body section comprising a length of plastic tubing having a penetrable plastic diaphragm disposed intermediate the ends of said tubing, a .diaphragm .protecting seal disposed across said tubing intermediate said diaphragm and the outer end of said tubing, said tubing also having its outer and inner ends split in anroppositelyV disposed manner to provide Va pair of oppositely disposedpull tabsvat the outer end thereof and protective flaps at the inner end, within said body section. Y

4. A` container for receiving, storing and dispensing fluids comprising in combination; a llexible walled body f section of chemically inert and physically non-porous romits protective casing 20 and inserted into the vein ofthe donor. YThe blood then enters container body section 10 by means of intakeY tube 17 when valve means 21 isdisplaced-from the end ofrtube 17. When container- 10 Vis filled, intake tube 17 can be cut off a short distance abovethecontainer and sealed `by means ofV heat and gentleV pressure'or otherwise closed. The blood is then stored in container 10 until needed for administration.

-At-Atime-of'administration, container 10 is hung in an invert-edposition by means-,of Va'supportingV slot 16. The

of passage means V22r are then'rpulled laterally, theinvertedxU-shaped seal V2,9 Vandthereby exposing the sterile diaphragm 2,5.;A cannula, which has aflengthoftubingandfaneedle attached thereto for the conveyanceof blood to a recipient, is pushed through dia- Y2 5, Vandiconsequently into'thev insideI of,body'jsec "7' `V tion-VV 10.1v As the cannulapis inserted through passage rueans 225the walls of body sectionloiare protected against puncture by means of protectiveilaps.- fAtithe Y sametime-thecannulais'piercing diaphragm-,25; it'is'frictionallylengaging `crimps (vljwnhichY thelby'iform a` tight Y Vsealaand".prevent leakage of blood or. accidentaldisf e lodgementoflthe cannnla,. Passpageprneansf is operated in alsimilar'mannenfas' that described Vfor' passageway 22-V whern- .fqrexample, supplemental. medication 'fmnstffbe added simultaneously at the timrejo/f administration iof .the blood, Vvonin'rthealternative, when onlyja portionof'the contents' of the-container is administered and theremain# Y a Vderfoffthe contents arey desired to lac-preserved andto be administered'ata subsequent time.

Others may readily adapt the invention Aforiuseunder i Y various conditions of service, by employing one or more of thefnovel features disclosed-or equivalence thereof. As at present advised with respect tothe apparent scope plastic, said'y body section having integrally aixed therein (tubing, said lengthj of :tubing also'fhaw/in'gV its outer and 'inner ends split diametrically to provide pull tabs atY the outer end vand protectiveaps at the inner end thereof, saidV tubing being positioned iin said body section'in 4such 45, a manner; that said diaphragm is Vadjacent'withV the outer Vedgesoi said body section'. .Y

5. Ay contanerforreceiving, storingxand dispensing uids comprising in combination; a flexible walled :body

sectionfofp'chemically Yinert' andfphysically non-porous plastic, said .body section having Vintegrally affixed ftherein Vaplastic *inlet* tube: and twoA additional 'passage' means comprised of a length of'plastic tubing disposed on oppoi site sidesl Vof` said inlettubing, said tubing having` a penetrable plastic'diaphragm disposedY intermediateathe ends of saidf't'ubing with an inverted U-shaped diaphragm protecting seal disposed across said Vtubing between the t said diaphragm and theoute'rend of said'tubing, said of my invention, I desire to claim the following. subjectv a fr claim:

'l. Acontainer;forrv fluids-comprising in combination;`

physieallynon-porous'plastic,said body section having integrally aiiredE thereof at least one passage means cornrnunicatingwith the 'interior of Vthe body section, said passage means comprising a 4short length of plastic tubing VhavingY apenetr'able sealingY tl'aphragm disposed intermediateY the endsof said` tubing, YtheA outer 'end of said fhlt@Y being 5 slit diametrically ashortdistance inwardly fauaslai -diaphragm to. provide oppositely disposed Va flexiblewalledbodysection ofychemically inert and tubingV also-having disposed intermediate the said da@ phragm and the said sealvtwooppositely disposed crimps which are lpositionedV *along the lateral yedges of said tubing, said `tubingalso having its outer and `innerends split' diametrically to provide for a pair of roppositely disposed pull'tabs'at -the outer end and protective aps atfthe inner'ends thereof, said pulltabs having oppositely Vdisposed holes in the ends .thereofpand said tubing beingV positionedjin said' body section with the said. diaphragm JbeingY adjacent to thefouter'uppenedge of the said body section'. 'Y f Refer-encesCited in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,702,034 walter FenV `15, s

A2,896,619 Bellamy Y Y V July 28, 1959 Y Y' FOREIGN PATENTS Y a i 772. 636. Great, Britain e Apr. 17, 1,95 

